The present invention relates to a semiconductor memory device which can be exchanged with a variety of models of hard disk devices used with electronic equipment.
Personal computers and other devices requiring large capacity non-volatile storage have traditionally incorporated internal hard disks in their architecture. As shown in FIG. 8, a conventional hard disk device 41 is generally mounted to a base 43 inside a personal computer (not shown). A plurality of mounting screw holes 45a-45d are formed on a case 44 of hard disk device 41. Base 43 has a plurality of screw passage holes 46a-46d which align with each mounting screw hole 45a-45d. A plurality of screws 42 pass through the aligned screw holes to mount hard disk device 41 to base 43 inside the computer.
The prior art includes a disk (not shown) inside internal hard disk device 41. The disk spins at a high rotation rate. The disk is subject to vibration as a result of the high rate of rotation. These vibrations can damage the disk or cause impact between the disk surface and the read/write head(s) which access disk data.
In operating conditions where external vibrations or impacts are likely to occur such as, for example, in portable computers, the stress on the disk is exacerbated. In these types of environments, hard disk device 41 may be replaced with a semiconductor disk device 48 to reduce the number of moving parts which may be adversely affected by vibration or impact.
Semiconductor disk device 48 also serves as a replacement for hard disk device 41 for upgrade purposes. Hard disk device 41 can also be replaced by semiconductor disk device 48 during normal preventative maintenance program, or if hard disk device 41 fails.
Replacement of hard disk device 41 is accomplished by first removing screws 42 and hard disk device 41. Semiconductor disk device 48 is attached to base 43 with screws 42 which pass through corresponding mounting screw holes 49a-49d. 
In the above described prior art the position and screw thread size and type of mounting screw holes 45a-45d change with different models of hard disk device 41. The position of screw passage holes 46a-46d and the spacing W also differs depending on the model of hard disk device 41. The spacing and hole pattern to mount semiconductor disk device 48 must correspond to each replaced model of hard disk device 41. A plurality of types of semiconductor disk devices 48 must therefore be prepared to match various spacing W, screw thread size and type and position for mounting screw holes 45a-45d corresponding to various models of hard disk device 41. If only one type of semiconductor disk device 48 is manufactured, replacement of hard disk device 41 is limited to one type. The position of mounting screw holes 49a-49d do not correspond to screw passage holes 46a-46d of base 43 when semiconductor disk device 48 is to be exchanged with hard disk device 41 of a differing model. Furthermore, when the screw thread size and type differ, semiconductor disk device 48 can not be mounted and attached to base 43 using screws 42.
An object of the present invention is to provide a technique for mounting a semiconductor memory device which overcomes the above discussed problems in the prior art.
Another object of the present invention is to provide the facility to exchange one type of semiconductor memory device with a plurality of models of hard disk devices.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a semiconductor memory device as a non-volatile memory that can be easily mounted in a variety of electronic equipment.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a semiconductor memory device which can be quickly and easily installed as a replacement for a hard disk device.
Yet another object of the present invention is to avoid the need of additional mounting equipment to adapt the semiconductor memory device to the mounting configuration of various hard disk device types.
Briefly stated, the present invention provides a single semiconductor memory device replaces a variety of hard disk device types having different mounting configurations. The semiconductor memory device must have available the same mounting configuration as that of the hard disk device. Including multiple mounting configuration means, such as screw holes, in the case of the semiconductor memory device avoids the need for multiple replacement semiconductor memory device types. The multiple mounting configurations allow the semiconductor memory device to be mounted in a variety of orientations and mounting configurations. Thus, a single semiconductor memory device type can replace multiple varieties of hard disk device types without the need for extra mounting equipment.
According to an embodiment of the present invention there is provided a semiconductor memory device comprising: a case, the case having at least first and second mounting means, the at least first mounting means includes a plurality of first mounting portions having a first inter-portion spacing in the case, the at least second mounting means includes a plurality of second mounting portions having a second inter-portion spacing in the case, an electronic device being capable of using a hard disk device for memory storage, the hard disk device being removably mounted to a plurality of third mounting portions of the electronic device, and at least one of the at least first and second mounting means aligned with the third mounting portions, whereby the semiconductor memory device is mounted to the electronic device in place of the hard disk device.
According to another embodiment of the present invention there is provided a semiconductor memory device comprising: a case, the case having at least first, second, third and fourth mounting means, both of the first and second mounting means being accessible from at least one of a front and a back of the semiconductor memory device, both of the third and forth mounting means being accessible from a left side and a right side of the semiconductor device, the at least first mounting means includes a plurality of first mounting portions having a first inter-portion spacing in the case, the at least second mounting means includes a plurality of second mounting portions having a second inter-portion spacing in the case, the at least third mounting means includes a plurality of third mounting portions having a third inter-portion spacing in the case, the at least fourth mounting means includes a plurality of fourth mounting portions having a fourth inter-portion spacing in the case, an electronic device being capable of using a hard disk device for memory storage, the hard disk device being removably mounted to a plurality of fifth mounting portions of the electronic device, and at least one of the at least first, second, third and fourth mounting means align with the plurality of fifth mounting portions, whereby the semiconductor memory device is mounted to the electronic device in place of the hard disk device.
According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of replacing a variety of hard disk devices in different electronic devices with a single semiconductor memory device comprising: the electronic devices having a plurality of hard disk device mounting means including first attachment means that mount the hard disk device to the electronic equipment, removing the first attachment means, removing the hard disk device from the electronic device, the semiconductor memory device having at least two sets of pluralities of mounting means, orienting the semiconductor memory device such that at least one of the at least two sets aligns with corresponding hard disk device mounting means in the electronic device, and fixing the semiconductor memory device to the electronic device with at least one of the first attachment means and a second attachment means engaging the hard disk device mounting means and the at least one of the at least two sets, whereby the semiconductor memory device is mounted to the electronic equipment.
The above, and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals designate the same elements.